Days 42 & 43 - Chasing the Dream

As the President of the Summit Athletic Club, I have enjoyed many honors.  Tonight might have been the best yet. Meet Andre (Dre) Davis and Zeke Petrie.  They were the program this evening at the club meeting.  This first picture shows Dre's award winning smile that reflects his positive outlook on life.

These gentlemen are dedicated athletes of the first order.  Zeke was wrongly imprisoned in Haiti for five years.  Dre's mother abandoned him when he was eight. He spent twelve years living in the basement of a foster home.  Neither man has any bitterness about them.  In fact both men share a dream to achieve more each time they compete.  They competed in a triathlon this past weekend in Michigan. This actually is something considering a year ago Dre was afraid of the water.  They were swimming in Lake Michigan this past weekend in rough waters.  I wouldn't have done that.  They did.

Dre and Zeke have a strong faith and trust in God and in each other. How can this be? Dre's motto is, "..never stop believing that you can do anything." Bitterness and anger from the cards that life dealt them is not allowed.  There's too much joy waiting to experience in the beauty of their commitment to their sport and the thrill of attaining their goals. They are the definition of teamwork.

Dre and Zeke both have great senses of humor and deliver one liners as smoothly as anything Abbott and Costello ever did.  What a joy to listen.  What an absolute inspiration is to hear them tonight.  

I ran just two maintenance miles early yesterday morning.  I had oral surgery yesterday afternoon performed by Dr. Mike Hoffman from Falls Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center.  (I decided when I left that I would name his practice the official oral surgery and dental implant center for Weezersandgeezers.blogspot.com). Dr. Mike, a runner and someone you met in my Fourth of July posting, had the unpleasant task of telling me that I shouldn't run over the next couple of days.  I was bummed.  It actually affected my attitude that my running Chi had been interrupted.  

My standard positive attitude wasn't there today. On the one hand, its good that I have come this far and that I want to run. On the other hand, "Just who the heck do I think I am?"  Thousands of people are doing what I am doing.  They have minor interruptions too.  Another surgeon might have said, "Wait a week." Not my guy. Once I sorted that out in my head I began to improve my outlook on life. In fact, Dr. Mike did such a good job that the pain tonight is gone. I will be on the roads later tomorrow.

At tonight's meeting, Zeke shared with us that he has a growth in his head that is affecting his balance that has to be dealt with and asked for all that pray to remember him in their prayers.  When it comes to Dre's challenges, he's like the Kevin Bacon character in the fraternity house scene in the movie Animal House.  "Thank you Sir. May I have another?" 

Here's what I can tell you about Zeke, and I just met him.  He is not complaining.  He's not asking, "Why me Lord?" He is not focused on the negative. He's planning his next big adventure with Dre. Our guys are keeping it positive.  They're chasing their dreams. 

Hmmm, what were my problems again?

You can Google Dre and Zeke, or go to Youtube, and find all the information about them that you want to know. Tell me you're not impressed after you find out what their whole story is.  Then you and I can get together.  Tell me your problems and I'll tell you mine.  Then we can recite together, "..never stop believing that can do anything."  Then we will laugh and talk some more about Dre and Zeke.  And finally we will ask each other, "What exactly do we have to complain about?"

As marathoner Deena Kastor says, "Sometimes the things that challenge us the most, defines us."  Considering what Dre and Zeke have been through individually and together, any definition of them begins with the word courage.  Their message is clear. Just accept where you are and smile. There's so much to look forward to that there's just no time to look back.  You just never stop believing that you can do anything.  In the words and wisdom of Bob Marley, "Everything will be alright."  All I can tell you from tonight is, "Yes, everything will be alright if you want it to be so." Dre and Zeke said so.  Who am I to argue with them?